Latest news with #PatrickVanCott
Daily Mail
08-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Massachusetts school food director charged with stealing funds to purchase 'lobster' and 'premium hamburgers'
A Massachusetts cafeteria director has been accused of using federal funds to supply his Cape Cod restaurant with expensive food and equipment. Patrick VanCott, 62, was charged with larceny for allegedly ordering premium meats, including lobster, to resell at his own business, the Snack Shack at Sandy Neck Beach. The Plymouth County District Attorney's office said VanCott used his position as Plymouth Public Schools food services director to order supplies for his restaurant using federal funds over the years. '[VanCott] has been arraigned on charges that for a number of years he stole food, cafeteria equipment and paper goods from Plymouth Public Schools,' the DA's office said. The investigation began on May 30 when police received an anonymous letter alleging criminal activity at the Plymouth Community Intermediate School. 'The letter alleged that a person had been stealing commercial equipment and food products from the school,' the DA's office said. 'As Director, VanCott was the sole person with the authority to place orders for the cafeteria. 'VanCott's food orders consisted of premium Angus hamburgers, hot dogs, lobster meat, and other food products that were not served to students or school staff.' Video obtained by the DA's office allegedly showing VanCott taking two under-the-counter commercial refrigerators from the school on April 4. 'Surveillance video shows VanCott at the school on a Saturday loading one of the refrigerators onto a town truck and departing. 'VanCott then returned to the school in his personal pickup truck and loaded the second refrigerator into his own vehicle. Investigators alleged that for years, VanCott would have workers slice deli meat for him once a week between Memorial Day and Labor Day. 'VanCott ordered cafeteria employees to slice two bags of deli turkey and one bag of ham, place them in a box inside the refrigerator with the initials 'PVC' written on them. 'Others reporter to investigators they witnessed VanCott take condiments, snacks, paper goods, coffee and other items from the kitchen.' Prosecutors claimed VanCott purchased $8,300 worth of goods that were not in the schools storage facility, including a $1,700 refrigerate sandwich table and a $1,700 under-counter freezer. On June 4, police executed a search warrant at the Snack Shake and located a 28-foot industrial-sized refrigerator, bins, government issued food, a coffee maker, blackboards and other ideas. VanCott was arrested and charged with Larceny Over $1,200 by a Single Scheme and Larceny from a Building. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered to held on $50,000 cash bail. His defense attorney argued the number was too high, reported WHDH. 'The value of the items alleged to be taken is far disconnected from the bail the commonwealth is asking for,' said defense attorney Evan Paul. VanCott's next court appearance is scheduled for July 21.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Yahoo
Mass. school employee stole food, supplies for his Cape Cod snack shack, authorities say
A Plymouth County public schools employee faces larceny charges after officials say he stole food and cafeteria equipment for several years for resale at his snack shack on Cape Cod. Patrick VanCott, 62, of Sandwich pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Plymouth District Court on Friday. His charges include larceny over $1,200 by a single scheme, larceny from a building and larceny under $1,200 by a single scheme. He was ordered held on a $50,000 cash bail and to stay away from all Plymouth school campuses and school storage facilities. He's been placed on administrative leave, according to officials. A superior court judge lowered his cash bail to $10,000 after his attorney petitioned for a bail review on Friday, court records show. He posted the bail and was ordered to wear a GPS monitor upon his release. 'People should be reminded that folks are innocent until proven guilty and we are going to vigorously defend this case,' Nate Amendola, an attorney for VanCott, said on Sunday. Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz's Office said public school officials contacted the police after they received an anonymous letter 'alleging criminal activity' at the Plymouth Community Intermediate School. 'The letter alleged that a person has been stealing commercial equipment and food products from the school,' officials said. The property is owned by the town and paid for with federal dollars, officials said. VanCott, the director of food services for Plymouth public schools, was identified as the suspect after a police investigation. He is the only person with the authority to place orders for the cafeteria, officials said. VanCott also runs a snack shack at Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable, officials said. His orders consisted of premium Angus hamburgers, hot dogs, lobster meat, and other food products that were not served to students or school staff, officials said. Surveillance footage shows VanCott taking two commercial refrigerators from the school and onto his truck in April, officials said. Police reviewed cafeteria financial documents and compiled a list of items purchased by VanCott but not currently in the public schools' storage facility that totaled over $8,300 in goods, including: Refrigerated sandwich table: $1,700 2 frying pans: $96 Convection oven: $850 Undercounter freezer: $1,700 Microwave: $299 Bagel warmer: $294 Cuisinart coffee maker: $84 In June, police executed a search warrant at the snack shack and found an industrial-sized refrigerator and other kitchen equipment and 'government-issued' food. VanCott was taken into custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 21. National Guard troops arrive in Los Angeles on Trump's orders to quell immigration protests These beaches in Massachusetts are closed on Sunday, June 8 Swim portion of Springfield's Ironman 70.3 canceled due to Connecticut River pollution 10 cases of rare illness linked to Botox from Mass. spa, officials warn Mass. State Lottery winner: Cape Cod man wins $120,000 'Keno' prize Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
DA: Plymouth schools' food director stole goods, resold them at Barnstable snack shack
The longtime food services director for Plymouth Public Schools is facing charges that he stole thousands of dollars' worth of food, paper goods and equipment from the district, then used and resold the items at his privately run snack shack on Cape Cod, according to the Plymouth County district attorney's office. Patrick Van Cott, 62, of Sandwich, was arraigned Friday, June 6, in Plymouth District Court on charges of larceny over $1,200 by a single scheme and larceny from a building. He pleaded not guilty and was held on $50,000 cash bail. A judge ordered him to stay away from all Plymouth school buildings and storage facilities, the DA's office said. According to investigators, Van Cott used his position to order items – including lobster meat, Angus burgers and kitchen appliances – that were never served in school cafeterias. Instead, police say they ended up at the Sandy Neck Snack Shack in Barnstable, which Van Cott runs during the summer. A list of items that were purchased by Van Cott but are not currently in the Plymouth Public Schools storage facility was compiled totaling over $8,300 in goods, police said. Van Cott has worked for the district for nearly 22 years and was earning $114,000 annually as of 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile and town finance records. The investigation began after an anonymous tip was sent to school officials on May 30. Surveillance footage from April showed Van Cott removing commercial refrigerators from a school on a Saturday and taking them across the Sagamore Bridge, police said. A June 4 police search of the Snack Shack turned up government-purchased food, kitchen appliances and other district property, police said. Van Cott was arrested at the scene. His arraignment followed a statement from School Superintendent Christopher Campbell the previous day noting that a then-unnamed staff member had been removed from duty due to 'serious allegations' of misusing school property. More: Plymouth school employee accused of 'inappropriate use' of district property. What we know Van Cott is scheduled to return to court July 21. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Plymouth cops: School official stole food, supplies to resell on Cape
CBS News
06-06-2025
- CBS News
Cafeteria worker accused of ordering lobster on Plymouth school account for his restaurant
The director of the Plymouth Public Schools cafeterias in Massachusetts is under arrest after he allegedly ordered expensive food, including lobster, and restaurant equipment through the school for his own restaurant on Cape Cod. According to prosecutors, an anonymous letter from a school employee was sent to the superintendent's office, saying 62-year-old Patrick VanCott was stealing school food and kitchen equipment for his business, the Snack Shack at Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable. VanCott was in charge of the cafeteria system for the entire district. Allegedly ordered lobster on school account Investigators said they spoke to cafeteria employees, who said they noticed irregular ordering of kitchen equipment and food that would not normally go to the school district. The food included lobster meat, premium Angus hamburgers and hot dogs, none of which are served to students. One cafeteria worker allegedly told police she had worked for the school for 16 years and had seen VanCott taking deli meats, premium food products and condiments ordered with the Plymouth School Department account from the building. Items allegedly found at his Cape Cod business Security video also allegedly caught VanCott taking a refrigerator unit from the school to Cape Cod. Prosecutors said items purchased by VanCott missing from the district include a freezer, oven, microwave and pans. Items linked to the school district were allegedly found at his business. The Snack Shack at Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable, Massachusetts. CBS Boston VanCott was arraigned on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty to charges including larceny from a building and larceny over $1,200. "These charges are significant and he has just effectively destroyed the trust of the town and the taxpayers in the town of Plymouth who rely on the money that is earmarked for children in need of school breakfast and lunch to go towards that," said Plymouth County Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth O'Connell. "He has taken that and he has used it for his own personal gain." VanCott's attorney didn't argue the facts of the case in court but questioned the prosecutors' value of the items and a request for high cash bail. The judge ordered VanCott to be held on $50,000 cash bail, give up his passport and not go near Plymouth schools.
